Matthew Shepard’s Father: Anti-Gay Legislation ‘Creates A Policy Of Open Season’ Against LGBT Community

Matthew Shepard’s father is speaking out against anti-gay initiatives in Tennessee and several other states, which have, “become a bully pulpit in more ways than one.” Dennis Shepard said Tennessee’s infamous “Don’t Say Gay” and “license to bully” bills “disturb me” and urged state lawmakers to work instead “toward an all-inclusive law toward hate crimes.” He also condemned legislation designed to discriminate against transgender people, warning that threats “about stomping transgender and other gays. That does encourage it [harassment]. What it does is say nobody’s going to do anything. And as I mentioned … it creates a policy of it’s open season. I can do whatever. And that’s what happened to Matt.”